Time will Tell
by Lyra36
Summary: Four years later, what is happening to Lyra and Will?
1. Chapter 1

Hi everyone! This is my first HDM fanfic, so please R&R. I don't own HDM or any of the characters, Philip Pullman does. The only characters I own are the ones I make up. This takes place four years after The Amber Spyglass, so Lyra and Will are sixteen and seventeen.  
  
Lyra frowned at her roommate, Celia. She clutched Pantalaimon a little tighter as she listened to her roommate talk.  
  
"Oh come on, Lyra. You have to come to the party. It's going to be such fun. There are going to be boys there too! There will be dancing and games, Lyra, please come! You avoid boys so much; it's not good. The other girls are talking. Plus, for marriage later on you need to hang around more with guys. So please come!"  
  
Celia realized she had made a mistake the second she finished speaking. Pantalaimon, Lyra's pine marten daemon's fur bristled and it bared its teeth. She also noticed rage appear in Lyra's eyes. Celia knew Lyra had a bad temper, and didn't know what to do. Celia's cat daemon, Dongwalo, shrunk against her leg in fear. Dongwalo was a Siamese cat. Celia had long dark hair and bright green eyes.  
  
"No, Celia. I don't think I will come."  
  
Celia nodded. Dongwalo leapt into her arms and Celia turned and walked away.  
  
"Lyra, you should go," Pantalaimon instructed the second Celia and her daemon were gone.  
  
"I know, Pan. I just can't! It doesn't seem right without Will."  
  
"I miss them too. But going to this party seems rather important. I think you should go."  
  
"Oh, Pan, I'll go. I just wish Will could be there."  
  
"What'd I do to get her so mad, Dongwalo?" Celia asked her cat daemon. He looked at her.  
  
"Evidently parties are a touchy subject. No, it's probably the fact that it has boys. I don't know what could have happened to her in the past, but boys are definitely something to avoid with her. Don't bring up the party anymore around Lyra."  
  
"I thought she was going to attack us, she looked so mad! Did you see the way her daemon acted? I thought he was going to jump at you!"  
  
"I know, Celia." He had felt her fear. "I also noticed anger in Lyra's eyes."  
  
"I wish I knew what it was that made her so touchy in that area. The other girls are talking about her. They're calling her names and constantly insulting her because she hasn't had any boyfriends, ever!"  
  
"I have heard them, Celia. The other daemons are talking too. They all can sense something has happened to Lyra in the past, but no one knows what it is."  
  
"She's always going off with Dame Hannah somewhere. We all wonder where she goes then."  
  
"It must be linked to whatever happened to her before."  
  
"Well, I'm just going to find out!" Celia declared.  
  
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Will shut his locker at the end of the day. School had finally gotten out. He was so sick of the same routine, over and over. He could finally go home for the day. He and his mother lived with Dr. Malone in her flat now.  
  
Right after he and Dr. Malone had returned home, Will had gone to get his mother. She was taken to a hospital and examined. Once her mental condition had been evaluated, the long treatment process had begun. Will went to live with Dr. Malone.  
  
Unfortunately, at school, this was the age where girls and boys began to go out. He was at a new school where no one knew him, and many girls were interested in him. He hated it, rejecting each girl who talked to him. No one would ever take Lyra's place. Kirjava told him many times not to do this, but Will hadn't listened. He went on refusing girls and remained with only one friend.  
  
Adam was a tall guy; with the reddest hair anyone had ever seen and blue eyes. He hung out with Will, but Will never understood why. Adam seemed rather popular, with a whole load of friends to choose from. Even with all that, Adam still hung out with Will. Adam had invited Will over many times, and Will had gone once or twice. He had invited Adam back to Dr. Malone's once, knowing Adam wouldn't ask questions.  
  
As Will left the school, he noticed Kirjava sitting up on a tree branch. Her dark fur blended into the shadows left by the leaves. Will walked under the tree and told Kirjava to come down. Kirjava gracefully leapt down to the ground. She padded silently next to him until they were out of anyone's earshot.  
  
"How was school?" Kirjava questioned.  
  
"Boring. What else is new?"  
  
"You sound angry. Did someone else ask you out today?"  
  
"Yeah. That new girl, the preppy one. She didn't know my reputation, but now she does, that's for sure."  
  
"Will, you shouldn't keep turning down these girls. Lyra wouldn't want you to do this!"  
  
Will turned on his daemon. His rage was building and building. He picked Kirjava up angrily. "HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT LYRA WANTS, HUH? I LOVED HER, AND I MISS HER! NO GIRL CAN EVER TAKE HER PLACE, AND I WON'T ALLOW ANY GIRL TO TRY! SO BACK OFF!" He shook Kirjava angrily, and then dropped her.  
  
Kirjava landed perfectly, but you could see that she was hurt. "Will," she whispered, rubbing against his leg. "Please. Don't do this to yourself. I miss them too, but you're hurting yourself so much! Try, Will, try and give one of these girls a chance. Tomorrow you should apologize to this new girl, and go out with her. One date, that's all. An experiment. It would be good for you."  
  
"Fine, Kirjava. One date, that's all! One."  
  
"You won't regret it, Will."  
  
Will walked into Mary's flat and slammed the door.  
  
"Will! Son! I got the job!" Will's mother shouted.  
  
"That's great, Mum!" Will said, hugging his mother. "So you were accepted at the store?"  
  
"Yes! The clothing store accepted me! I start tomorrow! Oh, Will, this is the best thing. Soon we'll be able to move into our own house again. We have the money now, but I want to conserve it for college."  
  
Will nodded and smiled. "I'm really proud of you. It's a great accomplishment, Mum."  
  
"Well, we need to celebrate! I called Dr. Malone, and we're going out for dinner. Nothing too fancy, just a little break from cooking. You need to be ready at six, okay?"  
  
"Sure, Mum," Will answered, and he went into his room. Will fished under his bed and pulled out a small black bag. Inside were the pieces of the Subtle Knife. He fingered each piece. "Oh, Lyra," he whispered. "I miss you so much."  
  
Lyra was sitting in a chair, scowling.  
  
"Come now, Lyra! Don't be angry! You're getting better at this every day. Why, a few years ago these symbols meant nothing. Now you can read it somewhat. I'd be very happy, Lyra."  
  
Lyra scowled at Dame Hannah. "Be happy! How can I be happy? I need to read it now! Reading it somewhat does nothing for me!"  
  
Dame Hannah noticed the old childish rage building in Lyra. Pantalaimon was bearing his teeth. Dame Hannah knew to back off. "Well, Lyra. I will see you tomorrow." She left.  
  
Lyra got up and kicked her chair. "This is the worst! 'Be happy, Lyra. You're getting better every day'. UGH!" Lyra shrieked. She turned and kicked a pedestal with a ceramic vase on the top. The pedestal tipped and the vase went flying. Pantalaimon leaped through the air to catch it. He caught it just before it hit the ground.  
  
"Lyra! What were you thinking? I know you're mad, but that vase cost a lot of money. If that had broken alethiometer lessons would go out the door."  
  
Lyra took the vase and put it back on the pedestal. "Sorry, Pan. I'll be more careful. It's just I want to read the alethiometer. She always acts like I'm so ungrateful about the whole thing." Lyra scowled at the little golden object. She picked it up and opened the front. The thirty-six symbols around the edge seemed to leer at her, taunting her. 'You can't read us, you can't read us' "Stop it!" Lyra shrieked, and threw the alethiometer across the room. It hit the wall and, with a crash, fell to the ground.  
  
"LYRA!" Pantalaimon whispered.  
  
Lyra was trembling now. "What have I done, Pan?" she asked. "Pan, what'd I do?"  
  
"I don't know!"  
  
Lyra slowly walked toward the alethiometer. She picked it up and looked at it. She tried to open it, but she couldn't. "Pan, I broke it!"  
  
"Oh no, Lyra. You couldn't have!"  
  
"I did, Pan! I broke it!" Lyra fell against the wall and slid to the floor in a half-faint.  
  
Pan rushed over to her. "Lyra, wake up!"  
  
"Pan, I broke it! We'll never see him again!"  
  
Lyra was nearly in tears. "Never Pan. NEVER! It's all my fault!" She began sobbing. "Now I'll never learn to read the alethiometer, and I'll never find out how to see him again!"  
  
Pantalaimon felt her despair, and was unsure of what to do. He crawled into her lap and nuzzled at her face. "Shh, Lyra. Don't worry. Shh." He hadn't done this in years.  
  
Pan and Lyra sat there for a long time. 


	2. Chapter 2

Please review! I'd like to hear your suggestions!  
  
Lyra sighed. "Well, Pan, we might as well go. There's nothing we can do now. Tomorrow we'll have to tell Dame Hannah the alethiometer isn't working."  
  
Pan nodded. "Yes. Lyra, remember, we have the dinner with the Master of Jordan tonight!"  
  
"Oh, how could I forget? We better hurry, Pan!"  
  
Lyra fled to her room, and pulled on a nice dress. She then dashed downstairs to the entrance hall.  
  
"Lyra, you're late," Dame Hannah scolded.  
  
"I know. I was studying with the alethiometer."  
  
The four years hadn't taken Lyra's natural ability to lie away. Dame Hannah believed the excuse and nodded, very pleased. "Well, come along. We mustn't keep the Master waiting. He is looking forward to seeing you greatly, as he has not for over three years."  
  
Three years. It had been that long already? Lyra hardly thought about time anymore. She dwelled so much on Will and the alethiometer that nothing else seemed important. Sure, her studies were important too. She had the best grades in her class. She had already learned the French language and was moving onto another language soon. But after classes, the alethiometer was the most important thing. And at night, those long sleepless nights, it was Will. She had often lain awake thinking of Will. She even spoke to him at times during those long nights.  
  
"Come now, Lyra. The rickshaw is here."  
  
Lyra followed Dame Hannah and climbed into her own rickshaw, with Pan on her lap. The rickshaw began to slowly move away, closer to Jordan College.  
  
"Look at that!" Lottie exclaimed. "Now she's going off in a rickshaw with Dame Hannah!"  
  
"Shut up, Lottie," Margaret snapped. "I have my own rickshaw at my summer home."  
  
Lottie turned, her brown eyes growing wide. "You do?"  
  
"Oh yes, of course. Father bought me one years ago." Margaret tossed her long, dark, chestnut colored curls. They were always perfect, largely because of all her servants. She had three at school with her. A private maid, a private groomer, and a nanny. Her father had even bought separate rooms for her servants.  
  
"Wow. You must be really rich, Margaret." Lottie was in awe. She was only nine-years-old, the youngest at the school. Normally the school accepted no one under twelve, but Lottie was an exception. She was an orphan. The orphanage had recently closed, so the school had taken Lottie in. Lottie was by far the poorest of the girls. She had blond hair that was naturally curly. She was probably the prettiest of them all though. Lottie's dresses were always torn and in poor condition. Sitting next to Margaret made Lottie look even worse. Everything Margaret owned was new and beautiful.  
  
"Oh, I am, Lottie." Margaret was also the most conceited girl in school.  
  
"Riding off again," Celia whispered to Dongwalo. "Where is she always going off to? She's missing dinner."  
  
"Celia, I don't know. Pantalaimon never tells me much. I suspect they're going to eat someplace else."  
  
"I wish I knew. Maybe we should follow." Celia leapt to her feet. Her green eyes were blazing. "Let's go Dongwalo."  
  
Dongwalo leapt onto her shoulders. "No, Celia. Dinner is about to be served! We can't leave. We'll get in trouble!"  
  
"Who cares? I want to find out where she's going!" Celia began running the best she could in her satin green dress and nice green shoes.  
  
"Celia, you'll ruin your dress. Your parents spent so much money on it."  
  
"Dongwalo, be quiet."  
  
Celia dashed after the rickshaws. She could see them way off in the distance. "Dongwalo, get off and run yourself. You're slowing me down!"  
  
"I like it up here."  
  
"Stop being so indolent! Get off!"  
  
Dongwalo leapt down and began running next to her.  
  
Celia ran for a good deal more time. Finally, the rickshaws stopped. Celia caught up with them. She hid, and noticed Lyra and Dame Hannah walk into the school.  
  
"That's Jordan College, Dongwalo. What could she be doing there?"  
  
"I don't know. Jordan is a college for male scholars. Females aren't really, accepted here. I have no clue what she's doing."  
  
Celia crept after them.  
  
"Are you Miss Lyra?" a voice asked.  
  
Celia turned, and saw a little boy standing behind her. "Why?" Celia asked.  
  
"I was told Miss Lyra was coming tonight. I got some questions for her."  
  
Celia thought for a second, and despite efforts from Dongwalo… "Yes, I'm Lyra. What is it you wanted?"  
  
"Well, begging your pardon, Miss Lyra. I know you got some fancy dinner with the Master, but I was wonderin if I could ask you some questions."  
  
Dinner with the Master? Now Celia was getting somewhere. "Yes. You can ask me questions."  
  
"Well, I'm Ronnie Parslow. You used to be friends with my big brother, Roger, before he died."  
  
Ronnie Parslow? Celia had never heard Lyra speak of any Parslows. She had been friends with Ronnie's brother before he died. Maybe that was it! Maybe Roger had been Lyra's boyfriend, and Lyra felt guilty about Roger's death!  
  
"Oh, yes! I remember Roger! What was it you wanted to know, Ronnie?"  
  
"Well, I dunno nothing about my brother. I en't never seen him. He died right after I was born. People tell me I look like him, but I dunno, cuz I en't ever known him. So what was my brother like?"  
  
Celia hesitated. She couldn't lie to Ronnie, after all, all he wanted was information about his brother. The little four-year-old stared at her impatiently.  
  
"Please? I dunno nothing! I en't heard a thing 'bout him since I was born. I want to know something! I en't had anyone to ask before, so please tell me, Miss Lyra!"  
  
Celia stared at Ronnie, and turned and ran off.  
  
Ronnie burst into tears.  
  
Cousins answered the door to the Master's room. "Dame Hannah! What a pleasure!" he said and greeted Dame Hannah warmly.  
  
"Good evening, Cousins," Dame Hannah replied. She walked into the room.  
  
"Well, Miss Lyra! It has been quite a while, hasn't it?"  
  
'So much has changed,' Lyra thought. 'A few years ago he hated me, now he's kind and generous to me.' "Yes, three years!" Lyra agreed. 'Put on a fake front.'  
  
"You have grown so much! Oh, but why am I keeping you? Go see the Master!"  
  
Lyra nodded and walked into the room. Pantalaimon was trotting along at her said fashionably. The two of them looked respectable.  
  
The Master saw Lyra and gasped. 'She has grown up!'  
  
In the past year, Lyra had grown a lot. "Hello," Lyra said. Pantalaimon bowed a little to the Master's raven daemon.  
  
"Hello, Lyra," the Master responded. 'She looks so much like her mother! It's remarkable. What a fine young lady she's become in three years!'  
  
Dinner went on normally. The Master noticed how Lyra's speech had picked up tremendously. It was no longer littered with en'ts, dunnos, and other wrong language patterns, but with a large vocabulary.  
  
"Well, Lyra. I see school has improved you greatly. You look so much older. Tell me, how is school treating you? Dame Hannah, what do you think?"  
  
Lyra listened to Dame Hannah tell the Master about recent happenings. Meanwhile, Lyra thought about everything that had happened to her.  
  
Lyra walked into the school's entrance hall. She was clutching Pan tightly as she stepped inside.  
  
"Hello, Lyra. I am the Headmistress at St. Sophia's. Welcome to our school. We're pleased to have you."  
  
Lyra nodded. "Pleased to meet you." Pan jumped onto the floor.  
  
"Have you ever been at a school like this before?"  
  
"No, I en't never been at a school like this."  
  
The Headmistress froze. "Can you repeat that?"  
  
"I en't never been at a school like this."  
  
The Headmistress's daemon, a large Golden Retriever, leapt forward. He bit Pantalaimon. Pan screamed in pain and so did Lyra.  
  
"STOP! STOP!"  
  
The Headmistress signaled her daemon to let go. The dog trotted back to it's human. "Well, Lyra, you have learned rule one. At St. Sophia's, all our students speak perfect English. There are no en'ts at St. Sophia's. Every time you use en't, dunno, or other poor form of English, there is a consequence."  
  
That had been the first day. Lyra recalled it painfully, and Pan trembled on her lap. "Pan, it's fine. We don't talk like that anymore," Lyra comforted.  
  
After a great deal of time at the Master's, Lyra and Dame Hannah left Jordan College. As Lyra was leaving she noticed a little boy crying. Lyra gasped, and Pan felt her shock also.  
  
'He looks like Roger!' Lyra thought to Pan.  
  
'I know,' Pan thought back.  
  
Lyra rushed over to the boy. "What's the matter?"  
  
"No one tells me a thing about my brother! I want to hear about him, but I dunno nothing!"  
  
"What was your brother's name?"  
  
The boy looked up at Lyra. "I'm Ronnie Parslow. My brother was Roger."  
  
Lyra gasped. 'Pan!' she cried mentally. "R-ronnie?"  
  
"Yeah. Hey, maybe you're Miss Lyra! Are you Miss Lyra?"  
  
"I am, Ronnie. Your Roger's brother?"  
  
"Yup. He died right after I was born, so I en't never known him. Please tell me!"  
  
Lyra went into a long, detailed discussion about Roger. It hurt her to talk about her friend, so Lyra only told certain things. She told the story of the brickburner children and the rook on the roof of Jordan. After these stories, Ronnie looked rather happy.  
  
"Thanks, Lyra! Now I can tell people stuff about Roger! I en't clueless no more!"  
  
Lyra smiled at the little boy, and walked away.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
"Will! Dr. Malone is back! It's time to go!" Mrs. Parry shouted. "Hurry up! I told you to be ready!"  
  
Will groaned. He sat up and looked at Kirjava. "Go on, Will. I'll be fine here. Don't worry about me."  
  
Will nodded. "Okay, Kirjava. Guard the knife."  
  
"Will, who would want it? It's broken! What could anyone do with the knife?"  
  
"I don't know, Kirjava. I just don't want to risk it! Guard it, and I'll be back soon." Will walked off to join his mother and Dr. Malone. The truth was, the knife was his only piece of Lyra left. Whenever he was sad or missed Lyra, he'd take out the knife. If someone took it from him, he didn't know how he'd deal with it.  
  
The restaurant was a nice one. It was a typical English pub, but it was Will's favorite restaurant. Will wondered why they had come here, if the celebration was for his mother. Maybe she had noticed how depressed he'd been lately. Will hoped not. He didn't want his mother to be worried about him. All he wanted was for her to be happy and not worry about anything. Will sat lost in thought for a long time at the restaurant.  
  
"Will? Will? What are you ordering? The waiter just asked you, son," Mrs. Parry said, nudging her only son. She stared at him as he slowly snapped out of his deep thoughts. She was so worried about him. He had been so preoccupied lately, always spending time in his room. It was like he was hiding something from her. She could always hear him talking to someone in his room. At first Mrs. Parry had thought he was sneaking girls in, but when she thought about it, she realized she was wrong. For some strange reason, Will had never dated anyone. Or had many friends for that matter. Mrs. Parry knew it was because of her when he had been younger, but now Will had no excuse.  
  
"Oh, I'll have fish and chips, please." What would Lyra have ordered if she was sitting with him right now? Lyra. He missed her terribly. He knew he shouldn't be pining over her like this, but he couldn't help it. His thoughts always drifted to her. He recalled her golden hair, her blue eyes, her stubborn manner with happiness. He remembered Pantalaimon first talking and the shock he had gotten.  
  
"Will? Is something the matter?" Mary asked.  
  
"No! Nothing is wrong!"  
  
"Son, don't yell at Mary. She's just worried about you, and so am I. You've been so secretive. You're always running straight to your room! You come home from school, and you're in your room. Will, please tell us what is wrong! You come out to eat, then go back in. Tell us what we can do to help, Will. Would you like a pet of some sort? I know how you miss Moxie, since she died when you were away all those years ago. Are you still angry about that? Son, please tell us!"  
  
Moxie. Will's tabby cat. He missed her too. She had died after he had run from those men. No one had fed her. Sure, neighboring children had given her scraps, but their parents had chased Moxie away while she was eating. Moxie had hunted also, but that hadn't been enough. After Will had returned, he had gone back to his house to find his poor cat dead. "NO! Nothing is wrong! Just leave me alone!" Will got up from the table and ran away as fast as he could.  
  
"Will, what is wrong?" Kirjava whispered after Will had calmed down a bit.  
  
"Nothing, Kirjava. Just please go away!"  
  
"Will, I can't do that. I'm your daemon!"  
  
"You're right. I'm sorry Kirjava."  
  
"Will, you shouldn't worry so much. Everything will look better in the morning."  
  
"You're right. I should get some sleep, shouldn't I?" He went to put on his pajamas. He brushed his teeth and washed his face, then got into bed. Kirjava curled up next to his head on her pillow. He watched the moonlight reflect off her fur. Kirjava purred softly. "Night, Kirjava."  
  
"Goodnight, Will. Tomorrow everything will seem better."  
  
"I hope so," Will whispered. He slowly shut his eyes and fell asleep.  
  
Will was standing outside his house. He didn't know why he was there. "Kirjava!" he called, but his cat daemon was no where. He frowned.  
  
"Hello, Will. It has been a long time," a voice whispered.  
  
"Who's there?" Will shouted. He wished he had the knife intact. Right now he was rather defenseless.  
  
"Will, it is Xaphania. Do you remember me?"  
  
"Xaphania? What are you doing here? You said not to expect to see you ever again!" Will was in complete shock. He couldn't believe the angel was here.  
  
"Will, you are depressed. I have noticed it. But you have also not dwelt on finding a window, and you broke the knife. I am pleased with that."  
  
'I didn't despose of it,' Will thought. "You are?"  
  
"Yes, Will. I am very happy with that."  
  
"Thanks, Xaphania. I'm glad you're happy."  
  
"Well, Will, because you have obeyed my requests earlier, I have come to grant you something I know you desperately want."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"I have come to allow you to see Lyra."  
  
Lyra. "You have? You're not joking?"  
  
"I am as serious as I could ever be. Would you like to see Lyra?"  
  
"Of course I would! When can I leave?"  
  
"Right away, Will. Are you ready?"  
  
"As I will ever be! When?"  
  
"Soon, Will. Soon. Be ready." The angel disappeared.  
  
REVIEW! 


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you to everyone who took the time to review my story. Sorry I haven't updated it in a long time, but I've been busy with school and soccer. Now that summer is almost here, I have more time.  
  
Lyra tossed in her bed again. The encounter with Ronnie had shaken her. He had looked so much like Roger. It was like being young again with Roger. Lyra wished she could go back to that time. Before everything had happened. Before the alethiometer, before the Oblation Board, before the Land of the Dead, before Will.  
  
Before Will? Lyra thought hard about that one. Her days with Will had been wonderful, and Lyra wished she still had Will with her. But that was impossible. She would never see Will again, until death. Lyra shivered. "Pan?" she whispered.  
  
"Yes, Lyra?"  
  
"Do you wish we were young again?"  
  
"Sometimes. I miss being able to change sometimes. And talking to Roger's daemon. Other times I'm glad we're not young anymore. You have more sense now. I don't have to worry about you as much."  
  
"I wish we were young again. I miss playing all day, no studies or worries. I miss being able to talk as poorly as I wanted. I miss you changing too."  
  
"Lyra, we'll never be young again. You shouldn't dwell on this. Forget about it. You're making yourself miserable."  
  
"No."  
  
"You never listened to me when you were young either. That hasn't changed a bit."  
  
Lyra scowled. She rolled over and shut her eyes. In minutes she was asleep.  
  
Celia turned her green eyes over to Lyra's side of the room. Lyra was facing her. Celia noticed a troubled expression on Lyra's face.  
  
"Celia? What are you looking at? Why are you awake?"  
  
Celia groaned. "Shh, Dongwalo. I want to look at the alethiometer. I know where she keeps it."  
  
"Celia. You know better than that."  
  
Celia ignored him. She pulled her covers back and began getting out of bed.  
  
"Celia!"  
  
Celia knelt down and felt under Lyra's bed. She felt a velvety material. She began to pull it towards her when she heard a moan. It was Lyra. Celia let go of the material and stood up.  
  
"Will." Lyra cried out. "Will!"  
  
Celia began backing away. She was worried. She noticed Pan was curled around Lyra's neck, soaked with sweat.  
  
"Will!"  
  
Celia got in her bed again. "Dongwalo, what should we do?"  
  
"I don't know, Celia. I think we shouldn't wake her up. It might embarrass her."  
  
"Will."  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"Kirjava!" Will hissed. "Kirjava! Get up now!"  
  
"Hush, Will. You'll wake everyone up. You know that I am awake. What is it? Is this about the dream?"  
  
"You had it too?"  
  
"Will, I'm your daemon. Of course I did."  
  
"Can you believe it?"  
  
"Yes, Will. I can."  
  
"Aren't you excited?"  
  
"Will, don't get too anxious. Xaphania never said when."  
  
"She said soon! How long can soon be?"  
  
"Will, it can be a long time."  
  
"No. It can't be that long."  
  
"Whatever you think, Will," Kirjava said. She curled up again to go back to sleep. "Will, go to sleep. You have school tomorrow. Don't think about this right now. You have tomorrow to think of it. You need your sleep for now."  
  
"Aww, Kirjava. This is too exciting! We're going to see Lyra!" Will paused for a second. "And Pan too."  
  
Kirjava opened her eyes. "It is exciting. But I'm tired Will, and you are too. So, goodnight."  
  
Will watched Kirjava. When it seemed like she was asleep, Will got up and went into the kitchen. He made himself a sandwich and sat down at the table. Will slowly ate his sandwich and wondered about how Lyra was. Did she like someone else? Was she in school? Or worse, what if she was sick, and Xaphania was only letting them see each other because Lyra was about to die? Will felt himself choke on his sandwich. He coughed a couple of times and had a drink of water. After feeling better, he finished the sandwich and went back into his room. Kirjava was asleep, and Will watched her. It was rare that she was asleep and he was awake. Will felt Kirjava's sleep affecting him, so he laid down and fell asleep.  
  
"Will! Will! It's morning! Get up son! You'll be late for school!"  
  
Will groaned and got up. Kirjava stood up next to him and stretched, rubbing her claws into his pillow.  
  
"Don't do that! We already need two other pillows! We have to save all our money for a house!"  
  
"I know, Will. I wasn't going to harm it."  
  
Will got up, made his bed, and changed into his school clothes. He then brushed his teeth and hair. He sat down at the kitchen table.  
  
"Mary, we're out of turkey!" Will's mother exclaimed. "We had some left yesterday, and I was going to use that for my lunch. Do you know what happened to it?"  
  
"No. I guess we'll have to buy some more today."  
  
Will frowned, realizing he had eaten the last of the turkey last night. "So, Mum, what's for breakfast?"  
  
"Toast. I need you to make it for us. I have to run to the store for some food. Will, can you buy your lunch today?"  
  
"Sure. I have money, don't worry about it."  
  
Will made the toast, and ate a piece on his way out the door. Friday. Friday's were the best days. He smiled to himself. The weekend was coming, and he was going to see Lyra soon. Lyra. His best friend in the whole world, also his first love. He had yet to have a day where he did not think of her, did not miss her. He hoped the dream with Xaphania was real, and that she was going to keep her promise. He had missed Lyra so much since their last meeting together, in his Oxford, four years before. They had only been twelve then, now they were both sixteen. How much would Lyra have changed?  
  
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	4. Chapter 4

Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Lyra scowled at the object lying on her bed.  
  
"It's very pretty, Lyra. It was very generous of the Master of Jordan to get that for you," Pan whispered to her. He knew Lyra hated the dress and had no wish of going to the party, but he was going to try and do his best to convince her otherwise. However, Pantalaimon also knew how stubborn Lyra could be, and realized convincing her would be difficult.  
  
Lyra reread the little card found with the dress again.  
  
For Lyra:  
  
A gift to wear to the party tonight. Wear this dress with pride and grace. I'm sure your parents would be proud to see you in it.  
  
The Master of Jordan  
  
The dress was pale blue, the same color as Lyra's eyes. It was made of a soft, light fabric that felt wonderful when Lyra touched it. She hadn't worn this sort of thing since she was eleven, and staying with Mrs. Coulter. She had avoided all parties since she had come to St. Sophia's, and so the occasion for such a nice dress had never come up.  
  
"It's so soft, Pan," Lyra said quietly to her daemon. "It must have cost a fortune."  
  
"Perhaps. But remember, Lyra, the Master of Jordan said your parents left you a lot of money as well. Maybe he bought it for you with their money."  
  
"Maybe. But it's a pretty dress, just the same." That fabric had felt so soft, so pleasant to touch. Lyra wanted to wear it, but she could only wear it to the party. She had no where else to wear such a dress to.  
  
Pantalaimon touched it with a tentative paw from where he was sitting on the bed. "It is very soft."  
  
"Maybe I could just try it on. Just to see how it looks. But I'll take it off right away."  
  
Pan nodded, and Lyra slipped the dress on. She spun about in front of the mirror.  
  
"You look very pretty, Lyra," Pan told her.  
  
Lyra smiled. The dress's skirt made a sort of swishing sound when she spun. The sound was wonderful to hear, and she turned several times just to hear her skirt. The fabric was incredibly soft and felt wonderful to wear. She spun again, and then wondered if she had shoes to wear with the dress. To her surprise, there was a pair of high-heeled shoes sitting next to her bed. They had been dyed the same color as the dress, so they matched perfectly. Lyra slipped them on, and noticed herself grow at least an inch with these shoes. After taking a few steps, she felt she was able to walk in them.  
  
"Wow! You look great!"  
  
Lyra turned. Standing in the doorway was Celia. Her green eyes were wide, but Lyra noticed they sparkled with happiness. Celia's dark hair was drawn up in a tight bun, and Celia was wearing a green dress.  
  
"Oh, hi, Celia. I was just trying this on."  
  
"Well, it looks wonderful! Can I put some makeup on you?"  
  
Lyra frowned. She had no interest in going to the party.  
  
Dongwalo noticed Pantalaimon bristle at that comment. Lyra didn't seem to want to have makeup put on. He tapped at Celia's leg with a paw to get her attention, but it was no use.  
  
"Oh, please, Lyra? You're finally going to a party! I want to do your makeup!"  
  
Lyra bent and lifted Pantalaimon up. She whispered to him.  
  
"You should go," Pan suggested. "It will be good for you."  
  
"Alright," she whispered, and put him down. "Sure, Celia, you can do my makeup."  
  
And with that, Lyra was going to the party.  
  
"This is so boring," Lyra whispered to Pan, who was sitting in her lap.  
  
"Hush, Lyra. If you went and talked to someone, it wouldn't be boring."  
  
Lyra scowled at him. She glanced around the room again. All her classmates were talking to boys from the other schools in Oxford. The only girl missing was Lottie. But Lottie was too little to be at the party.  
  
So Lyra was all alone.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Will and Kirjava wandered along the dark streets of Oxford. Will was deep in thought, wondering about when Xaphania would come and left him go to Lyra. Kirjava knew he was thinking about Lyra, and didn't say a word.  
  
A sparkling of light appeared in front of Will. "It is time," a voice whispered.  
  
When Will regained consciousness, he was lying in the street in front of a large building. There were lights on inside, and Will could hear noise. It sounded like a party was going on. He looked at the sign above the door.  
  
St. Sophia's School for Girls.  
  
Will decided to go inside. Something was willing him to go in, and he took whatever was guiding him's advice. Kirjava was trembling. She knew where they were. She had sensed it from the beginning. Will was completely oblivious to his daemon's discovery, but Kirjava wasn't going to tell him either. Kirjava often knew things he didn't, and she preferred to let him discover them on his own.  
  
Will walked into the building. It smelled pleasant, and he heard the noise of a party. Voices were heard from every room. Will was glad he was wearing semi-nice clothing, so he didn't look completely out of place.  
  
He walked into a room. Everyone had daemons. Could this place be Lyra's world?  
  
He glanced at all the people in the room. Girls with dark hair, light hair, short hair, long hair. Girls in long dresses, girls in short dresses. Will could not see any familiar people.  
  
Then he saw her. In the corner was a girl sitting all by herself. On her lap was a pine marten daemon. Lyra.  
  
She was wearing a beautiful dress of blue. Her blond hair was as short as it had been. She looked beautiful.  
  
Will began walking toward her.  
  
Pantalaimon looked up and realized who it was before Lyra even realized someone was speaking to her.  
  
"Would you like to dance?"  
  
Lyra looked up. A boy her own age was standing in front of her. There was something familiar about him. He had a stubborn look about him. 'Might as well.'  
  
"Yes, I would love to."  
  
Will noticed how graceful she was. The natural grace she'd possessed four years before was even more apparent now at sixteen. After the song ended, Will asked Lyra if she would step outside with him.  
  
Standing in the street in front of the building, Lyra looked down at this boy's daemon. It was a cat, with fur that was many different colors. Lyra glanced up into his eyes, and realization flooded through her.  
  
"Will?"  
  
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	5. Chapter 5

Thanks to my reviewers! Sorry it took me so long to update!  
  
"Will?" Lyra gasped in awe.  
  
He nodded, smiling.  
  
Lyra leapt up into his arms, laughing in happiness. She couldn't believe it! He was back!  
  
Pan and Kirjava skipped happily on their own, leaping around Lyra and Will as the two embraced.  
  
Lyra pulled back for a minute, and gazed up into Will's blue eyes. She smiled at him. Will bent down and began kissing her face over and over again, making up for the four years they had missed. The two shared one long kiss, and then Lyra sighed with contentment, her head leaning against Will's chest.  
  
Will held her closely, and slowly picked her up. He carried Lyra over to a bench and sat down, Lyra easily fitting onto his lap. He cradled her, smiling with happiness at finally being reunited with his love.  
  
"How?" Lyra asked, looking up at him. Will noticed tears filling her eyes.  
  
"I'm not exactly sure, Lyra."  
  
He heard her crying, and felt wetness on his shirt. He held her even closer, whispering "shhhh" and trying his best to comfort her. He never liked when Lyra cried, ever.  
  
"I'm just so happy you're here."  
  
"I know."  
  
The two sat that way for the rest of the night, dozing off in each other's arms.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Lyra awoke to the sound of birds and the early morning sitting. She gasped when she realized she wasn't in her room. Then, memory hit her, and she realized she was in Will's arms. She smiled again, and tried not to move. She didn't want to wake Will up.  
  
"Good morning, Lyra. Did you sleep well?"  
  
"Course. Did you?"  
  
"Yes." Will rubbed his face in her hair, inhaling the sweet scent.  
  
Lyra snuggled closer to him, smiling in pure ecstasy. She loved being with him again.  
  
"You probably have to go back to the school, don't you?"  
  
Lyra sighed. "Unfortunately, yes."  
  
Will kissed her hair. "Better let you get back then."  
  
"Where will you go?"  
  
"I have to go find room in an inn."  
  
"Do you have money?"  
  
"Don't worry about me. Go back to school. You're probably in trouble because of me as it is. You were out all night. Who knows what this did to your reputation there."  
  
"Will..."  
  
"Seriously, Lyra. Go on. I'll meet you back at the school later, okay?"  
  
"Okay," Lyra said reluctantly, not wanting to leave Will.  
  
He smiled at her, kissed her goodbye, and walked off.  
  
Lyra grinned and walked back to the school, barely able to contain her joy. 


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks to those of you who reviewed! I apologize for making you all wait so long, but I'm always ridiculously busy with school. I have finals this week, and I decided that I should probably update, as this long of a break between chapters is fairly ridiculous.

Lyra had quite a dilemma. If she walked in the front door of the school, as she normally entered, the servants who were up early cleaning would see her walking in at this hour of the morning, obviously still in her clothes from the previous night. If she walked in the back door, cutting through the kitchen and servants' quarters to her room, the cooks would see her, and her rendezvous would be revealed as well. She scowled at the door, knowing that someone was going to find her out.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" she asked Pantalaimon. He was looking at the various windows, trying to find a way in as well.

"You shouldn't have been out all night in the first place. I need to sleep too, and I shouldn't have to be responsible for waking you up all the time. You need to show responsibility on an occasion."

Lyra sighed, knowing that there was one way into her room she could try. "Come on, Pan. There's something we can climb to get into my room. Hopefully Celia will let us in when we get all the way up." She trudged off to the side of the school where her bedroom lay, and positioned herself underneath her window. Celia had insisted upon putting flowers on the ledge, and Lyra had begrudgingly allowed her to.

"I don't think you can climb in those shoes," Pan whispered, poking his nose at her feet.

Lyra glanced at her high heels in annoyance. "What am I supposed to do with them while I climb? I can't very well carry them."

"I can carry the straps in my teeth I suppose. Otherwise, we leave them here and come back for them later."

Lyra unfastened her shoes and placed them on the ground in front of her daemon. He took the straps in his teeth, and looked at Lyra, waiting for her to begin climbing. She stepped toward the fence-like wall, realizing that without shoes, her climb would be difficult. She jammed a foot into the first gap, wincing as the wood scratched at her feet. She placed both hands in two separate gaps higher up in the wall, pushing herself up toward the window. The wood cut at her hands as well, and Lyra realized it would be a slow climb.

After she had gone up a few feet, Pan began to follow her. He watched as Lyra hesitantly made her way up the ladder, feeling the bite of the wood from the bond that connected them. He honestly hoped no servants would come outside while they were climbing, seeing Miss Lyra sneaking into her room at dawn would do no good. Especially if they were a male servant, as nothing was hidden from a person on the ground. Pan scurried a little closer to Lyra, hoping that she would get faster in her climbing soon.

"Pan, this is the most uncomfortable wall, ever. I really hope Celia can let us in!" She winced as the wood cut into her right foot, and stepped up with her left. "Can you run up there and try to get her attention?"

Pan couldn't respond with the shoes in his teeth, but he ran up the wall past Lyra in seconds. When he reached the ledge, he climbed over the flowers, and dropped the shoes on the ledge. He began knocking on the window to the best of his ability. He hoped Celia was a light sleeper, because if not, it would take Lyra's knocking to get her out of bed.

Dongwalo opened one eye, and nudged Celia awake. "Something is at the window," he whispered. "We should go look."

Celia mumbled something inaudible, and pulled herself out of bed. Trudging to the window, she saw Pantalaimon. Where was Lyra? She opened the window quickly, taking the shoes from the ledge and putting them on the floor. Dongwalo quickly began chattering with Pantalaimon, something about a boy and climbing up the wall.

"Celia, Lyra's climbing up the wall. She was out all night! When she gets close, you have to help pull her in." Dongwalo jumped down, Pantalaimon following him. Celia thought that Lyra and her daemon had separated quite a distance, but she didn't voice her opinion.

Celia stuck her head out the window, seeing Lyra struggling to make her way up the wall. "Lyra, what were you doing? It's morning! You left the party, and I didn't see you again!"

Lyra moved a bit higher on the wall, wincing again from the uncomfortable wood.

"Celia," Dongwalo cautioned, "let her get up the wall first. You can talk to her after she gets up here. That wood would be painful without shoes."

Celia watched as Lyra slowly made her way up the wall, and began trying to remove the flowers from the ledge. After struggling with the window box for some time, she placed it on the floor as well. Lyra was nearly at the top of the wall at this point.

"Grab my hand, Lyra!" Celia reached down for the blond girl, feeling Dongwalo trying to anchor her from the ground.

Lyra reached up and took Celia's hand, pushing up with her legs as Celia pulled with both arms. She made it up to the ledge, and Celia helped pull her inside. As Lyra entered, she jumped onto the ground, breathing a sigh of relief.

"I need to sleep," she muttered, and got up to merely flop out onto her bed a minute later. Celia noticed the scratches on her hands and feet from the wall, and walked into the bathroom to find a washcloth to clean off her cuts.

"Why were you out all night?" Celia questioned. She began scrubbing at Lyra's hands.

Lyra's eyes jerked open. "Stop." She pulled her hands away, and sat up, glaring at her roommate. "Don't ask questions."

"You stumble in here at the crack of dawn, after being out all night, and you tell me not to ask questions? I should be turning you in to Dame Hannah right now!"

Lyra's eyes widened. "Please, don't, Celia. I was with an old friend. We didn't do anything wrong. We were just talking, and then we both fell asleep. It was nothing bad, I swear."

"An old friend, or an old boyfriend?" Celia's eyes were wide with questioning. She didn't trust Lyra's answer one bit. No one stayed out all night just to talk. There was something more that Lyra wasn't admitting.

A scowl formed on her face. "Both, if you must know. Now, I want to sleep, so please, let me get some rest before breakfast. Go back to bed, Celia."

"Fine, but you'll tell me later! If you don't, I'll turn you in to Dame Hannah or one of the teachers!"

Lyra sighed, nodding in defeat. Celia smiled at her obvious victory, and began working to fix the window box back in place. This new friend of Lyra's would prove to be very interesting indeed.


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks to my reviewers! Once again, I apologize for not updating for a good deal of time. The inspiration just wasn't there for some time, and I've been REALLY busy what with work and school.

Will had no idea what sort of place he would be staying in. He wasn't even sure if Lyra's Oxford used the same currency as his. The streets were the same, but the buildings on them differed greatly. Lyra's Oxford seemed as if it was stuck in the past; a world that had never moved on with the inventions that Will's had. Lyra had mentioned some things that were the same, but Will had to wonder just how different their two worlds were.

"Do you have any idea where you are?" Kirjava asked from beside him. She could finally talk freely to him in this world, and she enjoyed being able to walk alongside Will without having to worry about being seen. "Maybe you should have asked Lyra where an inn is."

"We'll find one. It shouldn't be too hard. I'm just worried about the money. How long do you think we'll have to stay here?"

"Xaphania didn't say how long we'd be here. We should just try to find a room and worry about how long we'll be here later."

Will turned a corner and noticed a sign for an inn about a half block away. Hopefully that would work, at least for some time.

He and Kirjava entered the inn and noticed many people sitting in what he guessed was a lobby, eating what looked like breakfast. There was a man standing at a counter, and Will walked over to him.

"I'd like a room, please. I'm not sure for how long." It suddenly became apparent to Will that he had no clothes or other possessions with him. He would need to go buy some when he was out later. He was thankful that he wasn't wearing jeans, because those would have probably earned him some stares.

"Alright. We have a room open for some time that you can use. Can I have your name?"

Will knew he couldn't give his real name. He doubted anyone would know who he really was, but he decided to give an alias anyway. "Mark Malone," Will lied. "How much for the room?"

"We'll bill you daily, and it will depend on if you take your meals here. Those get billed to your room as well. We'll expect the first payment tomorrow. I'd say twenty-five pounds a night on average."

Will nodded, wondering how much money he had. Maybe Lyra knew a place he could stay, or somewhere he could work until it was time for him to return.

The man at the desk gave him a key. "It'll be the first room on your left when you go up the stairs. If you need anything, I'll be at the desk here."

Will took the key and went over to the stairs. Some of the customers stared at him as he walked by. Will supposed he looked slightly different from the people here, and wondered if his clothes were giving him away. Kirjava was a pretty dæmon, so maybe that was why people were looking. Will decided not to attract any attention to himself if he could avoid it, and he climbed the stairs quickly.

The room he was staying in was decently sized, with a large bed, a dresser, a desk, and a bathroom off to the side. Will kind of wanted to sleep; that bench hadn't been the most comfortable. Although having Lyra there made up for it…

Will sighed. He had missed her so much, and now he had her again. How much more would it hurt this time when they had to go on their own ways?

Celia couldn't fall back asleep. Lyra had fallen asleep with ease after changing into a nightgown, and she looked content. Celia had to wonder where she had been. As she absentmindedly petted Dongwalo, various ideas flitted through her mind. She was certainly with a boy. Who was he?

Celia glanced at Lyra, but knew that her roommate would reveal nothing about her night. She frowned unhappily. Curiosity was getting the best of her, and she had a feeling she wouldn't be able to stop thinking about this until Lyra told her. She decided to get up and maybe go for a walk around the grounds until it was time for breakfast. _Then_ she would press Lyra for details.

"Go back to sleep," Dongwalo muttered as Celia sat up. "You have some time before breakfast."

"I can't sleep, and you should know that," Celia hissed at him.

"Stop worrying about things that aren't your business. Lyra will tell you if she wants you to know."

Celia sighed and laid back down. She rolled away from Dongwalo, and decided to try and sleep for a few more hours, at least…

Two hours later, Lyra woke up, feeling strangely content. She couldn't figure out why she was so happy…

Will! He was here! He was in her Oxford, and she had spent the entire night with him! She smiled to herself, and hugged Pantalaimon in Will's place. She couldn't wait to see him again. He said he would come by for her later that day. They could go to lunch, and she could show him Oxford, and they could catch up on all the time that had been taken away from them. How she had missed him in the four years that had passed!

Celia had fallen back asleep, Lyra noted. She had expected her roomie to be awake and waiting for details. Celia had certainly pressed her enough this morning. Lyra worried about that aspect of Will's arrival. How would she explain him to people? Who would she say he was? A friend from the past? They had only been twelve after all… it would seem strange to people that they had been in love at such a young age. Her classmates would certainly gossip when they saw him.

Lyra decided to wash her face and then go down to breakfast. When she came out of the bathroom, Celia was awake. She grinned at once, and almost leapt out of bed.

"Who is the boy? You have to tell me! Who were you with all night?"

Lyra sighed, almost just to show how annoyed she was. "Do we have to discuss this now? I was going to get breakfast."

"Lyra, you promised you'd tell me who you were with last night. I'm not letting you get out of this that easily. You're going to have to tell me. Why not get it over with now?"

Lyra picked out a skirt and top, and laid the clothes on her bed. "He is just an old friend. His name is Will. I knew him before I came to school here. He's in town for a little while, and we decided to catch up with each other. I haven't seen him in four years, so we had a lot to talk about."

"And?"

"That's all. Now, I am going to breakfast. I don't want to talk about Will anymore, so please don't ask me about him."

After Lyra changed, she stormed from the room, Pantalaimon cradled in her arms. She shut the door behind her, and it seemed like Pan was saying something to her.

"She's not telling us everything, Dongwalo."

"I can't blame her. It isn't your business, Celia. Leave her alone about this boy. It's obviously a touchy subject."

Celia didn't respond to her dæmon, but merely decided she'd ask Lyra again later. Lyra couldn't keep this a secret forever. Celia decided to change and go down to breakfast. Maybe after eating her roomie would feel more like sharing?

When Will woke up again, he was somewhat confused. He was in a different room than his bedroom at home. "Kirjava, where are we?"

"We're in Lyra's Oxford, Will."

The events of the previous night came flooding back, and Will sat up immediately. How long had he been asleep for? He had promised Lyra he would come for her sometime that day. He decided to go buy some clothes and then go find Lyra. He put on his clothes from the night before, and tried to leave the inn as inconspicuously as possible. It was obviously after breakfast, because few people were sitting in the main area. Will wondered what time it really was. He doubted this Oxford had normal clocks.

After he bought some new clothes, Will went back to the inn to get his mind in order. His money was sure to run out eventually. With the rate he had been spending recently, it was going to be sooner than later. It wasn't like he could go to the bank and withdraw some more either.

Will changed his clothes and left the inn again. He vaguely remembered where Lyra's school was. After getting lost a few times, Will finally found the large building. Some girls were sitting nearby the school reading. Will supposed that weekends were more laid back. However, he had no idea how to get Lyra. He doubted he could just walk into the school and ask for her. This school certainly had rules regarding boys and visitors.

Some of the girls were looking at him and whispering. The last thing Will had wanted was to attract attention. He shifted nervously from one foot to the other. Why hadn't he given Lyra a specific place to meet?

And almost as soon as he had thought those words, Lyra had appeared. She came running towards him, laughing, and jumped to hug him. Will hugged her back, so happy to actually feel her in his arms again.

"I'm so glad to see you! Now I know you're not a dream," Lyra whispered as she let him go.

Will noticed some of the girls were really whispering now. "Should we go somewhere else? Some of your classmates are staring at us."

Lyra laughed. "They're not used to seeing me with a boy. Come on, I'll take you around Oxford. There's so much I want you to see!"

And to the shock and dismay of Lyra's classmates, the pair walked off into the streets of Oxford holding hands.


End file.
